Fan bracket or support



Patented Jan. ll, 1927.

n UNITED STATES P'ATENT oFFlcE. i

oavILLF x. DYFR, oF BUFFALO, NEW Yonx, AssIeNoa To BUFFALO FORGE com` IANY, OFBUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FAN BRACKET OR SUPPORT.

l Application led JuneA 8, .1925. Serial No. 35,588.'

` 4tions are heavy and cumbersome, as wellV as costly, and the castings are frequently broken-in shipment and their weight adds appreciably to the shipping costs. The connecting arms or portions of such cast conv structions are of relatively large cross sectional area'such that the air currents passlng 1 5 through the frame when the fan is in operation are appreciably interrupted or obstructed. Furthermore, the bolts or securing ,devices often work loose, so that when the fan is in operation, rattling ofthe parts occurs, and the connected parts of the sup-- porting frame often become detached with resulting interruption in operation and pos-v sible damage to the fan and' its motor.

.The vobjectsof the present invention are to provide a supporting bracket or 'frame for rotary fans of the character described, which is constructed entirely of sheet metal; also to provide a sheet metal structure of this character which is very rigid and of relatively light weight, and which is formed to oii'er the minimum obstruction 'to the flow of air; also to provide a bracket of this-character in which the supporting arms? or members extending between the attaching frame,

andthe supporting member or portion 1s so attached to these members that even should l the connections between these parts become l loosened, the parts cannot separate, thereby preventing injuryto the fan and motor;

also to proyide a fan supporting bracket in which the parts can be quickly and easily stamped out and assembled; and also toim-l prove supporting brackets or frames of this '45 character in the other -respects hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation or face-view of a'supporting bracket or frame forl rotary 59 fans embodying one form of my invention.

a sectional elevation thereof, on

Fig. 2 is an enlarged scale, on line 2 2, Fig. showing in broken lines a fan and motor in position. thereln.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional lView thereof on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary face view of a porl tion of the attaching or supporting ring of the bracket.

Fig. 5 is aa perspective View of an end of one of the radial arms of the bracket.

Fig.. 6 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, on line v6-6, Fig. l, of the fan supporting hub or ring of the bracket. yFig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the bracket, on an enlarged scale. Y

on line 7-7, Fig. l.

The fans are usually operated either by an electric motor on the extended shaft of which the fan is secured, orby means of a ulley. secured on a shaft journalled in a rigidly fixed to a wall, partition o r other support, a-hub or supporting member axially alined with the attaching frame, and one or more arms or connecting members extending between the attaching frame and said hub for maintaining the hub in correct relation to said frame. When the fan is to bc motor driven, the hub is used to embrace and support the motor,` while in the case of fans operated through the medium of a pulley, the hub supports the bearing for the pulley and fan shaft.

vention shown in the drawings, the fan supporting frame or bracket includes a ring or attaching ,frame or member` 10 which is adapted to be rigidly secured to av support,

an annular hub or member l1 adapted to be attached to and support a fan motor or jan shaft bearing and which is disposed' axially relatively to the member 10, and one or more connecting membersor arms 12 for supporting and securing the hub 1'1- tothe attaching frame or membervlO. f

The attaching frame member 10 is preferably in the form of an annular sheet metal stamping. of substantially channel shaped In the preferred embodiment of the in- '.96

when the fan is used in an opening in a wall bolts 20, so that after the'motor A (or a.

when thearm is bent or partition, to extend' into the opening in the support to which the fan is secured, not shown. The member is provided with a plurality of holes 16 preferably formed in the facev portion 10a for reception of suitable bolts, screws or other attaching devices .for securing the supporting Ybracket 4to the support or over the opening in the wall or partition. N, l

The member or hub 11 lisalso in the form vof a sheet` metal stamping or ring whichis preferably split or divided/at 18 so that the' hub may yield or be sprung slightly, and the adjacent ends are formed with a pair of llugs 19 apertured to receive one or more shaft bearing) has been positioned in the member .11, the bolts 20 may be tightened to firmly hold, the vmotor orbearing, and maintain the fan in correct position.

The radial arms or connecting members 12, of which there are three 'in the construction shown, are in the form of `'curved sheet .metal stampings of U-shaped cross section, each of which is securedl at one end to the attaching frame or member 10, the o posite end `of each arm being connected to t e hub 11 in a plane at substantially right angles to the face portion 10a ofthe member 10. The arms are curved between their ends, as

' shown in Figs. 2 and 7, so as to .locate the hub 11 at a distance v from one member 10. v I

-The outer ends 21 of the arms 12 are preferably secured to the member 10 in the following manner. When the arms 12. are 'blanked out in the formation thereof, a pair face of` the.v

`of lugs 22 of the form shown in Fig. 5 is produced and which are proportioned so that.4

into its U-shaped cross section, shoulders or abutments 23 'and 24 are provided, andthe frame member 10 is formed with pairs of slits 25 adaptedy to receive the lugs 22, which are inserted thereinto, with the shoulders 23 and 24 abutting against the outer side of the portionl 12. The lugs are then rigidly secured in the slits v25, preferably by bending the lugs laterally in lopposite directions against the opposite side of the face portion y10, see Figs. 1 and 3, and may then be further secured thereto, preferably by Welding. While shoulders are shown at opposite sides ofthe lugs. shoulders may be formed at one side only thereof, if desired.

The inner ends 28 of the arnis '12 lare similarly formed with lugs 29 and shoulders 30 and 31, and these ends .of the arms are .connected to the hub 11, in a. manner similar and spotiwelding them thereto.

lconductors may be led to the motor.

to rthat just described, by passing the lugs 29 through slits 32 in the hub, and then bend` ing the lugs in oppositefdirections into engagement with theinner face of the' hub In'the preferred construction shown, the hub is preferably pressed outwardly .between its side edges, forming an Vannular portion of greater diameter than the'motor or bearing engaging sidejportions 36, and the slits '32 areformed in this portion 35 so that the lugs29, when secured in' this depressed portion are out of` contact with `the motor A, thus permitting the edge portions 36 to grip the` motor or bearing firmly when the bolts 20 are'tightened. The motor or shaft bearing cannot be displaced or Vloosened by vibrations or due to the use of the fan, and rattling betweenthe parts is prevented.

The fan supporting bracket constructed as described is'very rigid, strong, and light -in weight, and the crss sectional shape and relative proportion of the arms 12 is such. that the flow of air .through the bracket is obstructed to a minimum extent, and this,` condition is further carried out by providing -the sheet metal hub which projects only to a slight degree around the motor or bearing about which'it-is secured, thus allowing the maximum space for tha-passage of the air blast between the hub and the attaching frame or member 10. The member 10 being., of relatively thin sheet metal constructiomfv` is also of minimum bulk and extends. only a slihtdistanc'e into the air space. articularadvantage gained by connecting t e radial arms to the members 10 and 11 inthe manner described is that,l after the .lugs have been inserted into the slits vand bent laterally as described, these arms cannot become detached from said members even if l'the yvelded'connections should be destroyed or be improperly formed, for the reason that the respective members are engaged on one side vby the lugs yand onthe opposite side by the shoulders formed on the ends of the arms, thus preventing endwise movement of the arms in either direction relatively to l'the attached members. o

If desired, the fan supporting bracket or 1 frame may be provided with a switch supy porting member or plate 40 formed so that al suitable cont-rol switch, not shown, may be attached thereto and from which the usual In the construction shown, the switch supporting plate 40 is formed of sheet metal and has a substantially fiat face portion 41, preferably extending substant-ially inathe plane of the face12 of the attaching frame 10, and an. exterior iiange 42 which includes an attaching portion 43 which is curved to correspond with the arcof the peripheral flange 13 of I the frame member 10 and to which'- itis adapted to be welded or otherwise rigidly l and 7. 'When-the fan secured, see Figs. 1

electric motor, the

. ,directly between a pair ofthe slits so ing hub that the conductors 45 may be disposed inside of the adjacent arm 12 and pass therein to the motor, said arm being aperture 47 adjacent ythe hub 11 through which said conductors 45 may` be extended. In this manner the conductors 45 are not only concealed within the arm 12,1thus producing a neat and tidy appearance, but in addition, the conductors thus located, do not offer any resistance to or obstruct the flow of air. The switch platev 40 constructed and arranged as described does not extend in 4either direcy tion beyond the inner and outer` planes yof the frame member 10 sothat the supporting bracket and attached switch plate occupies relatively small space, and further, the switch plate is less liable to be injured or the switch broken than would be the case if the switch plate were secured on and pfrojected from the face ofthe frame member.

The fan bracket described has the advantage of being very much lighter in weight than brackets heretofore used, and furthermore the brackets are stronger and are practically unbreakable in ordinary use and handling. The bracket also is suiiiciently flexible so that considerable movement of the hub portion is possible for clamping a motor or bearingtherein.

I claim as my invention v 1. A supporting bracket for a rotary fan, comprising an attaching frame, a supportfor said fandisposed at a distance from one face of said frame, and a plurality of sheet metal radial arms bent in'the direcytion of their length to produce a relatively narrow, substantially U-shaped cross section which imparts rigidlty to said arms, said arms being rigidly secured to and extending between said attaching frame and said supporting hub, and said arms having" their open U-shaped faces extending 'in the direction in which the air isdischarged by said fan, ,whereby a minimum of resistance is offered to the passage of airby .said arms.

2. A supporting bracket for `a\rotary an or the like, comprising an attaching frame, a supporting hub disposed from one face 'of said frame, sheet metal radial arms extending between said frame and said hub, lugs at the ends of said arms, abutments on said arms adjacent said lugs, said lugs ,being adapted to pass through slits in said frame and said hub'so as to engage said abutments with one face. of said frame and one face of said hub, and said 13 are preferably,

Jformed with an at' a distancie lugs being adapted to be bent against-the v opposlte faces ofsaid frame and said hub.

3. A. .supporting bracket for 'a rotary fan or the like, comprising an attachmentframe,

Va supporting hub disposed at a'distance from one face to said frame, sheet metal radial arms of substantially U-shapedl cross sectlon extendingbetween said' frame and said hub, lugs at the extremities of said arms which extend lengthwise in the plane of the webs thereof, shoulders extending transversely of said arms adjacent said lugs, said lugs being adapted to pass through slits in said f rame and said hub with vsaid shoulders abutting against one face on each of said members, and said lugs being adapted to be bent against the opposite faces of said frame and said hub. l

4. In asheet metal struzture having two spacedl annulary members and a connecting arm extending therebetween, securing means between said a'rm and l.one of said members comprising a pair of spaced Ilugs ext nding lengthwise from an end of said arm, s oulders extending transversely thereof adjacent said lugs, and said lugsbeing adapted to pass through slits in said member andbe secured to one face thereof, and said shoulders being adapted to engage the other face thereof to prevent endwise movements of said arm relatively to said member.

- 5. In a sheet metal supporting bracket forl y a rotary fan or the like, an attaching frame,

a motor supporting hub, arms extending benlwen and' connected to said frame and said u a and said hub including parts engaging the inner face thereof, and said hub having an annular portion between its edgey portions of larger diameter than said vedge portions, whereby said edge portions are adapted to engage a motor or., other object, and said parts of said connecting means are adapted to be held out of contact with said motor.

6. In a -sheet metal supporting bracket for a rotary fan or the like, an attaching connecting means -between said arms llU frame, a supporting hub, arms extending beto'said frame and said frame having a face tween and connected hub, said attaching portion and an annular lperipheral iiange, a

switch- -supporting plate including a face portion to which a switch may be secured and a flange formed on lan arc corresponding to the arc of said attaching frame ange and adapted to abut against and be secured thereto, l

7 In a sheet metal supporting bracket for a. rotary fan or the like, an attaching frame, a rsupporting hub, arms extending between and connected to said frame and said hub, said attaching frame having a face portion and an annular peripheral iange, a switch supporting plate including a face portion adapted to extend substantially in the plane of said attaching frame face and a iiange formed onan are correspondingito the arc of said attaching frame Harige and adapted to abut against and be secured thereto.

8 In a sheetmetal supporting bracket.

i y,"a face portion and an annular peripheral flange, a switch supporting plate including a face portion to which a switch may be secured, a flange formed on an arc corresponding to the arc of said attaching frame flange and adapted to abut against and be secured thereto adjacent one of said hollow arms, said attached flanges and said attaching frame face portion having apertures adapted to permit conductors to be directed from'said switch into said adjacent hollow arm so as to be substantially concealed thereby.

9. A supporting bracket for `rotary fans and the like, comprising a sheet metal attaching frame having a portion of substantially channelshaped cross section, arms of sheet metal having portions at the ends thereof which are adapted to enter m00 openings in said attaching frame into, the

channel portion thereof and t0 be securedl;

thereto,`and a fan by said arms. c

10. A supporting bracketffor a rotary fan or the like, comprising a sheet metal attachingpframe having a portion of substantially channel shaped cross section, a sheet metal supporting hub disposed at a distance from a face of said frame and having an outwardly extending portion, arms of sheet metal having lugs at the ends thereof adapted supporting member held to enter through holes in said frame andv hub into nthe channel of the frame and into the outwardly extending portion of said hub and to be Secured to said frame and hub.

l1.A supporting bracket for rotary fans and the like, comprising a sheet metal attaching frame having a portion of substantially channel shaped cross section, arms of sheet metal and substantially channel shaped f iu cross section, and having lugs extending outwardly beyond the ends of said arms and adapted to extend through openmgsian said attaching frame and into the channelled por-y tions thereof and to be secured thereto, and a tan supporting member held by said arms.

ORVILLE K., DYER. 

